Cécile Doo-Kingué

Guitarist and vocalist Cécile Doo-Kingué is one of Montreal’s most electrifying guitarists, and a favourite of the city’s groove aficionados. Her bewitching, incomparable fretwork and deep, suave voice blends blues, soul and afro-folk to create a signature sound on which one can surf to the end of the world.

Born first generation in New York to diplomat parents from the Cameroon, Cécile has lived in France, the United States, and is now at home in Montréal. This meeting of cultures is reflected in the eclecticism of her music – a world blues. She has dazzled with Montreal cult bands Dibondoko and Aliens, played or recorded with the Montréal Jubilation Choir, Bernard Purdie, Tricia Foster, Cindy Doire, Soul City, and United Steel Workers of Montréal to name but a few, and has opened for Manu Dibango and Youssou N’Dour.

She’s released 4 recordings, the latest, Anybody Listening Pt. 1: Monologues has been described as “Committed, uncompromising, and passionate, this is serious blues…”. Her songs “look at everything from social injustices to prejudice to desire…[she] tears Vladimir Putin a new one over anti-gay legislation in Russia in the song Bloodstained Vodka…”